ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s men’s swimming and diving team ranked fourth among the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Academic All-America Swimming Teams for the Fall Semester of 1998, the organization has announced.

Tech posted a 3.178 grade point average which earned the squad an Excellent rating, which was the highest of teams between a 3.00 and 3.25 GPA. The Yellow Jackets had 18 of its 24 swimmers earn Georgia Tech Dean’s List honors of 3.00 and above, with two individuals completing perfect 4.0 marks. Ryan Ahearn, an Aerospace Engineering major from Leonardtown, Md., and James Nozar, a Building Construction major from Charlotte, N.C., each posted perfect 4.0 grade point averages to earn Faculty Honors.

“This is our second consecutive Academic All-America Team rating and is a great accomplishment for our squad,” said second-year head coach Seth Baron. ” We started with a team goal of trying to achieve a 2.80 when I first arrived and now have moved it to a 3.00. The first thing we talk about each season is academic goals and our student-athletes understand that they are here to earn an education. Their determination has been reflected in the fact that we have achieved another Excellent rating and it coincides with our recent successes in the pool and setting 14 new school records at the Atlantic Coast Conference championship meet.”

This season, Tech posted six dual-meet victories and set 14 of a possible 19 swimming records during the ACC Championship meet. The Yellow Jackets achieved a team rating of Commendable (2.8-3.0) in the Spring of 1998 before moving up to Excellent last fall.